Cross rolling mill



F 1, 1944- M. R. HENDRICKSON 2,340,518

CROSS ROLLING MILL Filed April-l5, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BY i L M HTTORNE) 1944- M. R. HENDRICKSON w v 2,340,513

CROSS ROLLING MILL Filed April 15, 1 942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 nun I,

I I VENT R. WWW

Feb. 1, 1944.

M. R. HENDRICKSON 2,340,518

CROSS ROLLING MILL Filed April 15 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I VENTOR.

' HTTO/F/VEY ntentekl Feb. 1, 1944 I UNIT-ED STATE qnoss nommcmu. Michael Richard Hendrickson, New Brighton,

2a., assignor, by scher Tube Mills, poration o! lennsyl mesne Inc, Beaver Falls, Pa., a corassignments, to Die- Application April 15, 1942; serial no. 439,025

ii Glaims. (Cl. 80-13) This invention relates to disc stabilizing means for cross-rolling mills or the kind in which a.

pair of rotary guide discs, or in some cases a single disc, engage the work-piece as it is rotated and advanced between a pair of helically acting skewed pressure rolls, commonly termed cross- ,rolls." Cross-rolling mills of this kind are shown in the S. E. Diescher Patents 586,975, 1,870,209, 2,031,761 and 2,042,832.

The guide discs and cross-rolls of such mills are driven at a comparatively high R. P. M., and theperlpheral work-engaging faces of the guide discs move at correspondingly high speed in high pressure contact with the rapidly rotating and longitudinally advancing workpiece. A. more or less unsteady pressure is thus exerted on the periphery of the disc tending to cause a slight weaving, or vibratory movement, of the disc in the direction oi. its axis of rotation, resulting, it may he, train slight clearances between parts of the disc mounting or slight flexibility in parts of the machine or in the disc itself, or from a lack of complete rigidity in the mounting or the disc'on its shaft. When the guide discs are, as they should be, set with. one peripheral edge close to one of the cross-rolls, the edge of the vibrating or weaving disc may come into engagement with the cross-roll, causing damage to the work-engaging surface of the roll and to the surface and edge of the work-engaging peripheral race oi the disc, resulting not only inshortening the life of these parts but also in impairing the suriace ish of the product. 7

The object of the present invention is to provide cross-rolling mills of the kind referred to with disc stabilizing means whereby thediscs are maintained with their work-engaging pe-' ripheries' properly positioned,

thereof being prevented or at least substantially reduced. To this end, there is provided according to the invention means for applying pressure to one side of each guide disc. The application of such stabilizing pressure to the side of the guide discs has greatly improved the operation or a cross-rolling tube-elongating mill of the kind referred to to which the invention has been applied, resulting in a material decrease in the amount of, time lost in mill operation attributable to the wear of the disc rims and wear on the .rolls, and in a superior surface finish on the product.

, A full understanding of the invention can best be givenby a detailed description in connection with, drawings showing an illustration embodiment or: the invention'inthe rorm now consid- 1,870,209, the mill vibratory motion the exit side, of a tube elongatingmill provided with disc stabilizing means the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail stabilizing device for. the upper disc;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is further an enlarged diagrammatic view illustrating the direction of the force exerted on one of the guide discs by the rapidly rotating workpiece;

.Fig. 6 is a view showing the upper guide disc and one of the cross-rolls and stabilizing means of an alternative form;

Fig. '7 is a detail sectional 'i--'i of Fig. 6; and

in accordance with Fig. 8 a. view illustrating'another iorm of the disc-engaging pressure shoe as applied to the v stabilizing device for the upper disc.

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 to 5, Fig. 1 shows a tube elongating mill of the kind disclosed in the S. E. Diescher Patent having a pair of helically acting cross-rolls HI tubular blank I! which is being reduced is rotated and given a. helical advancing movement on a mandrel l2, and a pair of grooved guide discs l5 mounted on opposite sides of the pass line with their axes extending at or about right angles to the pass line and the rims or the discs extending between the cross-rolls to engage the tubular blank. The cross-rolls are skewed, being mounted with their axes inclined to each other and to the line of feed 0;! the blank between them, and are suitably driven. The guide discs are detachabl'y mounted each on the end of a shaft 20 journaled in a bearing shell, or housing, 2 I the shafts being driven through uni. versal couplings 22 to rotate the discs in the directionoi longitudinal movement of the blank or workpiece at a peripheral speed materially inexcess of the longitudinal movement of the workpiece. The bearing shells 2| are mountedto be longitudinally movable in vertically adjustable frames 23 and 24 respectively and are held against rota- 1 tion as by a key 25, as shown forthe upper shell. The shells are moved to set the guide discs with their rims in desired relationship with the crossrolls, or .ior withdrawing the shells for disc plan view of the line 3-.3 of Fig. 2;

view taken on linein the pass between which a p ri l carries a worm gear 32. The internally threaded sleeve 3| is rotatably mounted and held against axial movement-in the frame 23 (or 24) and the worm gear is engaged by a worm 33 which is turned by means of a hand wheel 34 or otherwise. The bearing shells may thus be moved in either direction as desired.

The guide discs are spaced apart sufficiently to permit the tubular blank, under the wall-reducing pressure of the cross-rolls, to bulge somewhat away from the mandrel as described in the S. E. Diescher Patent 1,870,209, and as illustrated in Fig. of the drawings thereof. The peripheries of the discs are grooved, or concavely curved transversely, for engaging the bulging wall of the blank as it comes from one of the cross-rolls and deflecting and directing it toward the other of the cross-rolls, and each disc is set with its rim closely spaced from the cross-roll which rotates the tubular blank toward the disc, as described in the S. E. Diescher Patent 1,951,348 and as more particularly referred to hereinafter.

For stabilizing the guide discs to prevent or "greatly reduce .the vibratory or weaving motion referred to and maintain a steady movement of the disc rims as they engage the workpiece, a

stabilizing pressure member, or shoe, is provided for engaging and pressing against the side of each disc with sufficient force to hold the disc against harmful vibratory movement under the operating load. These pressure members are mounted toengage the side of the disc at a point spaced from the center thereof and, most desirably, close to the edge thereof and diametrically opposite the place of engagement of the disc with the workpiece, that is, diametrically op posite the'pass between the cross-rolls, and on the side opposite the side which is toward the cross-roll which rotates the workpiece toward the disc.

A horizontal arm of the bracket extends through a slideway in which it is secured in adjusted position by a plate I! clamped against the bracket arm by means of cap screws 43. The bracket is As shown, the pressure member 4d for the upthat is, the side toward the bearing frame 23, the lower stabilizing shoe bears against the outer side of the disc, that is, the side away-from the heating frame 24.

Qy As here shown, the shoe 50 is carried by an adjustable part SI of an arm, or bracket, 52 pivotally mounted in a housing 53 which is attached to the bearing frame 24. Bracket 52 is pivoted on a pin 54 extending between side walls of the housing 5.3 and it is held in operative position by a removable locking pin 55. Bracket 52 has a noncylindrical bore into which an extension 56 of the adjustable part 5| extends with a sliding fit.

- A screw rod 51 extends througha smooth bore of part 5| and its extension 56 with its inner V threaded end in a threaded borein the bracket 52. A head 60 on the outer end of screw rod 51 bears against part 5| so that by turning the screw rod by means of hand bars extending from the head '60, part ii may be moved inward to bring the shoe 50 into engagement with the disc and to force the shoe against the disc to apply the desired stabilizing pressure thereto. Part BI is locked in adjusted position by means of a latch 6| which engages a toothed ring 62 on the head 60.

' When the lower disc is to be changed, the loc king pin 55 is withdrawn and bracket 52 is per-' mitted to swing downward, thereby moving the shoe 50 outward and downward away from the a disc, as to the position indicated by dotted lines adjusted by loosening the cap screws and moving means of screws 44' (see Fig. 2). The block 40 serving as the stabilizing shoe may be of any suitable material, suchas a suitable metal or a suitable hard wood. -Jt has been found most desirable, however, to use a" block of non-metallic water-lubricated bearing material, such as Micarta or Textolite. The water lubrication may be effected in any suitable manner, as, for example, by directing a small stream of water against the side of the disc from a suitably placed nozzle 45; as indicated for the lower disc. The water "thus supplied serves also for cooling the disc rims, taking the place of other water supply means as commonly provided for this purpose.

' The pressure member #0 for the lower disc (see Figs. 1 and '4) is also formedby a block or shoe in Fig. 1.

As described in the S. E. I Diescher Patent 1,591,348, each of the guide discs is, in the mill illustrated and for best results, set with its rim closely spaced from the cross-roll which rotates the tubular blank toward the disc, so that the disc immediately engages and deflects the metal as it is forced thereagainst by the cross-roll. The other cross-roll draws the metal away from the disc referred to and forces it against the other disc. The pressure of the bulging wall of the blank on, each disc is thus predominantly against the inwardly sloping part of the peripheral face of the disc which is nearest the side of the disc facing the cross-rollwhich rotates toward the disc, and the portion of the peripheral face toward the other side of the disc takes little, if any, of the great pressure exerted on the disc by the bulging wall of the blank. Therefore, since, as explained in said Diescher Patent 1,870,209. the transverse friction between the discs and the rapidly rotating blank is greatly lessened by the rotation of the discs in the direction of longitudinal movement of the blank at a speed-gmaterially greater than the longitudinal ,move'inent of the blank, and because of the very of suitable material, most desirably Micarta or similar materiaL' Whilethe upper stabilizingshoebears against the irnger side of upper disc,-

direction of the arrows A in Fig. 5, having an I axial component in the direction of we crossroll which rotates the blank toward the disc, that is, to the left in Figs. 1 and 5 on the upper disc and to the right on the lower disc.

A Most desirably, therefore,the stabilizing pressure applied to each' disc to counteract the thrust on the rim of the disc by the workpiece and to stop the vibratory movement of the disc, when applied at a point diametrically opposite the point of engagement with the workpiece, is applied to the opposite side of the disc from the side which which rotates the work is toward the cross-roll piece toward the disc, as shown in Fig. 1.

g It is believed that thevibration of the discs of the mill to which the. invention has been applied, which before use of the present invention caused excessive wear on the work-engaging surfaces of the discs and rolls and resulting damage to the surface of the product, was due not only to slight working clearances in and yielding of the disc niounting parts, including, it may be, the mounting of the disc on the shaft, but also to slight bending of the discs, which in a mill for reducing comparatively small tubing are of limited thick mess and rigidity. However, that may be. the

great value of the invention in lengthening the ity ofthe product has been proved.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate an arrangement in which, instead of having a presser shoe mounted to engage the side of the guide disc at a point guide disc mounted on a driven shaftto bear peripherally on the workpiece between the reducing rolls, disc stabilizing means for applying stabilizlife of the discs and rolls and improving the qual-.

diametrically opposite the place of engagement of the disc with the workpiece, two presser shoes 90 are. mounted in the main frame of the mill to engage the side of that half of the disc which is toward the workpiece and atpoints spaced in opposite directions from the point of engagement with'the workpiece. When presser shoes so located are used, they should, most desirably, en-

- the presser shoe 95, shown in Fig. 8 as mounted for stabilizing the upperdisc, may be used, being of any suitable construction and the roller most desirably having suitable anti-friction bearings. As shown in Fig. 8, the shoe 85 is carried by a bracket Ma adjustably mounted. like the bracket M of Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The block type shoe is preferred because of its simplicity- It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to a tube elongating niill such as illustrated and to which the foregoing description has been largely confined, but that disc stabilizing means accordingto the invention may be apv plied to other guide disc cross-rolling mills of the kind referred to, whether for operating on tubular or solid workpieces, including piercing mills for producing tubular blanks or hollows from solid 'cylindrical workpieces. It is to be understood further that the invention includes changes and modifications of the preloading devices within the claims. 1

What is claimed is: 5 p

' 1. In a cross-rolling mill having a pair of helically acting skewed reducing rolls and a rotary ing pressure to one side of the guide disc close to the edge'of the disc and di-ametricallyoppo site the pass between the reducing rolls.

4. In a cross-rolling mill having a pair of helieally acting skewed reducing rolls and a rotary guide .disc mounted on a. driven shaft to bear peripherally on the workpiece between the reducing rolls, the rim of the guide disc being closely spaced from the reducing roll which rotates the workpiece toward the, disc; a member mounted to engage the opposite side of the guide disc from the side which is toward the reducing roll which rotates the workpiece toward the disc and engaging the disc close to the edge thereof and diametrically opposite the pass between the reducing rolls, and means for forcing said member against the disc to apply stabilizing pressure thereto. a

5. In a cross-rolling mill having a pair of helically acting skewed reducing rolls and a rotary guide disc mounted on a driven shaft to bear peripherally on the workpiece between the reducing rolls; .a member mounted to engage one side of the guide disc near the edge thereof, means for supplying lubricant to enter-between said memberand the disc, and means for forcing said member against the disc to apply stabilizing pressure thereto. g

6. In a cross-rolling mill having a pair of helically acting skewed reducing. rolls and a rotary guide disc mounted on a driven shaft to bear peripherally on the workpiece between the reduclng rolls; a block of water-lubricated bearing material mounted to engage one side of the guide disc near the edge thereof, means for supplying water to enter between said block and the disc, and means for forcing said block against the disc to apply stabilizing pressure thereto.

7. In a; cross-rolling mill having a pair oi helically acting skewed reducing rolls and a rotary guide disc mounted on a driven shaft to bear peripherally on the workpiece between the reducing rolls; a roller mounted to engage one side guide disc mounted on a driven shaft to bear peguide disc mounted on a driven shaft to bear pe- I:

ripherally on the workpiece between the reducing rolls, disc stabilizing means for applying stabilizing pressure to one side of the guide disc close to from the pass between the reducing rolls.

3. In a cros-rolling mill having a pair of helically acting skewed reducing rollland-a rotary V the edge of the disc and on the half thereof away of the guide disc near the edge thereof, and means for forcing said roller against the disc to apply stabilizing pressure thereto.

8. In a cross-rolling mill having. a pair of helically acting skewed reducing rolls, a rotary guide disc mounted on the overhangin end of a driven shaft to bear peripherally on the work- 7 piece between the reducing rolls, a longitudinally movable housing in which said shaft is joumalled, a frame in which said housing is mounted, and means for moving said housing longitudinally for adjustably positioning the guide disc with relation to the reducing rolls; a member mountedon said frame for engaging one side of the guide disc near the edge thereof, and-means for forcl ing said member against the disc to app y stabilizing pressure thereto. 9. In a cross-rolling mill having a pair of helically acting skewed reducing rolls and a rotary guidedisc mounted on a driven shaft to bear peripherally on the under side of the workpiece between the reducing rolls; a pivoted bracket mounted to extend beneath the guide disc whenin raised operating position, a member for engflaing the side of the guide disc close to its lower edge carried by and movable on said bracket, and

means carried by said bracket for moving said member toward and from the guide disc and for sides of the reducing rolls to bear on the work-' piece between the reducing rolls; disc stabilizing means for each of said guide discs comprising a member mounted to engage'one side of the disc near the edge thereof, and means for forcing said member against the disc to apply stabilizing pres- I sure thereto.

11. In a cross-rolling tube-reducing mill having a pair of helioally'acting skewed rolls for reducing the wall thickness of a blank n a man- 15 m1 and a pair a rotary guide discs mounted on driven shafts on opposite sides of the reducing rolls to bear on the tubular blank between the reducing rolls, the'discs being spaced apart to permitthe tubular blank to bulge somewhat away from the mandrel, and each disc having its rim closely spaced from the reducing roll which rotates the tubular blank toward the disc; disc stabilizing means for each of said guide discs comprising a member mounted to engage. one side of the disc near the edge thereof, and means for forcing said member against the disc to apply stabilizing pressure thereto.

YMICHAEL RICHARD HENDRICKSON. 

